Every culture has wedding rituals that help differentiate them from one another. The traditions and customs of ancient Roman wedding etiquette were not much different from today's nuptial etiquette. Their wedding customs actually laid the foundation for many modern weddings today. However, some customs that were very important to the Romans do not fully correspond to modern customs. An engagement ring, choosing the date and venue, dressing the bride, and legalizing the marriage itself were all important to ancient Roman culture. Before the wedding took place, several things had to happen. The bride was to get engaged. Engagement before marriage was considered good manners but was not always obligatory. The couple will then have to choose the date on which they will get married. Much care was taken in choosing the wedding date as there were days that were considered both lucky and unlucky. When the wedding day arrived, a lot happened. On the wedding day, the bride participated in many things, including the morning of getting ready, which usually involved picking flowers for her hair and getting dressed. Men in ancient Rome gave their wives a ring as a symbol of ownership. The circle was the symbol of eternity, without beginning or end. The hole in the center of the ring symbolized a doorway leading to events both known and unknown. These rings were called engagement rings. They were made of iron to symbolize strength and permanence. The more expensive the material, the wealthier the donor, which is why iron was the most common material for rings. The Romans were the first to wear the ring on the fourth finger of the left hand, otherwise known as the ring...... middle of paper...... Although modern weddings have similar customs to those of ancient Roman marriages, they were still different. Although there are many differences, there are nevertheless similarities. The elements of a wedding in ancient Roman culture consisted of an engagement, choosing the date, preparation of the bride, and the wedding venue. Although the much larger subjects are similar, the manner in which the work is executed is changed. Works Cited Edmondson, JC and Alison Keith. Roman dress and fabrics from Roman culture. Toronto: U of Toronto, 2008. Print. Gill, NS “Matrimonium – Roman Marriage”. About.com Ancient/Classical History. About.com, 2014. Web. April 9, 2014. “Roman Weddings.” History of the UNRV: Roman Empire. History of UNRV, 2013. Web. April 9, 2014.Treggiari, Susan. Roman marriage: Iusti Coniuges From the time of Cicero to the time of Ulpian. Oxford: Clarendon, 1991. Print.